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Background: We evaluated whether the Walkaide® device could effectively improve walking ability and lower extremity function in post-stroke patients with foot drop. Patients aged 20–85 years with an initial stroke within ≤6 months and a functional ambulation classification score of 3 or 4 were eligible. Materials and Methods: Patients were randomly allocated to the functional electrical stimulation (FES) or control group at a 1:1 ratio. A 40 min training program using Walkaide was additionally performed by the FES group five times per week for 8 weeks. The control group received the 40 min training program without FES. Results: A total of 203 patients were allocated to the FES (n = 102) or control (n = 101) groups. Patients who did not receive the intervention or whose data were unavailable were excluded. Finally, the primary outcome data of 184 patients (n = 92 in each group) were analyzed. The mean change in the maximum distance during the 6-MWT (primary outcome) was 68.37 ± 62.42 m and 57.50 ± 68.17 m in the FES and control groups (difference: 10.86 m; 95% confidence interval: −8.26 to 29.98, p = 0.26), respectively. Conclusions: In Japanese post-stroke patients with foot drop, FES did not significantly improve the 6 min walk distance during the convalescent phase. The trial was registered at UMIN000020604. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 74-year-old female visited a local clinic complaining of fever on January 21, 2002. A chest X-ray and a chest computed tomography (CT) showed diffuse micronodules in all lung fields, which strongly suggested miliary tuberculosis. On January 23, she was referred to our hospital for further examinations. Though sputum was negative on smear, culture, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for M. tuberculosis, bone marrow aspirate examined on admission revealed epithelioid granuloma. Therefore we diagnosed her as a miliary tuberculosis, and she was treated with 300 mg of Isoniazid (INH), 450 mg of Rifampicin, and 750 mg of Streptomycin (SM) daily. Five days later, severe thrombocytopenia (platelet count 0.3 x 10(4)/microliter) was observed. We immediately discontinued all antituberculous drugs and administered concentrated platelets and immune globulin. Platelet-associated IgG was detected, and megakaryocytes were slightly increased in moderately hypocellular marrow on the bone marrow aspirate examined again after the appearance of thrombocytopenia. Eleven days after discontinuing all antituberculous drugs, platelet count recovered to 10.2 x 10(4)/microliter. INH, SM, Levofloxacin (LV) were administered afterward, and these drugs did not induce thrombocytopenia. Though challenge administration of RFP was not performed, we concluded that the thrombocytopenia was immunologically induced by RFP. We should keep in mind that RFP-induced thromobocytopenia could appear in the first week after the initiation of therapy.

Primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) of the lung is very rare. To date, only 32 reports of 63 cases of primary MFH of the lung have appeared in English, excluding tumors arising from the pulmonary arteries and pleura. We describe a patient with primary MFH of the lung who developed brain metastasis and involvement of pulmonary great vessels. In addition, we reviewed previously reported cases to establish the clinical characteristics and most appropriate management of primary pulmonary MFH. When disease is sufficiently limited, complete resection remains the mainstay of treatment.